CHENNAI: Four days after TOI highlighted that illegal street lights had been put up in Korattur and Puzhal lakes since 2018, the revenue department on Monday confirmed that the lights were indeed inside Korattur lake area and were put up for encroachers.
Ambattur tahsildar Rajasekhar, who inspected the lakes, along with city corporation and PWD officials, said no area named RK Dakshin Nagar in Korattur exists in records and all buildings in the self-named area are encroachments as they fall under PWD control. “We will give notices to all the encroachers. Tagendco and the corporation must remove their lights and electric poles respectively,” he said. Chennai Corporation officials said they would take action on removing the lights in Korattur after the revenue department hands over their report.
TOI in the story had mentioned about RK Dakshin Nagar being a self created area, and residents themselves kept name boards. In this area, there are no roads, stormwater drains, underground sewage lines nor garbage bins. However, the corporation’s electrical department alone had put street lights in 2018 using KfW funds.
For putting lights in illegal places, Zone 7 ADE T Suresh, who executed the project in 2018, claimed roads existed there but all were damaged during 2015 floods, and after that the corporation did not relay them. However, in reality, lights were largely put in non-GCC roads and areas such as RK Dakshin Nagar in Korattur, and areas around eternal covenant church, beyond Saraswathi nagar 1st street and beyond Seetharaman cross street.
In Puzhal lake, PWD officials told TOI that there are nearly 675 encroachments and about 244 are in the place where the civic body had put illegal lights. PWD officials said survey numbers 48,49,55,56,57,407,408,410,411, and 412 belonged to them but these are encroached, and some have street lights and EB poles.
Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam said the issue needs to be escalated to the vigilance department. "A special independent team must be set up with members of expertise. They must cross verify the truth of patta documents, survey numbers, road records and other technicalities. One day physical inspections won't suffice," he said.
